How Depression, Stress, and Anxiety Keep You From the Best Things in Life—and What Might Help You Come Back
“The mind is loud. The body is honest.”
Somewhere along the way, we got really good at surviving—and really bad at living.
We learned how to keep going while disconnected. To smile while anxious. To function while depressed. To sit still while our nervous system screamed for movement, rest, or release.
And the worst part? We often don’t even notice how far we’ve drifted. The body becomes background noise.
Have you noticed that your shoulders are always just a little tense? That you suddenly feel exhausted but can’t remember doing anything? That you forget to eat—or eat without tasting? These aren’t just habits. They’re symptoms of disconnection. Signs that your body has gone quiet while your mind runs the show.
Michael Brown, in The Presence Process, writes that we don’t heal by fixing the past—we heal by fully feeling the present. But when your nervous system is fried and your mind is always racing, presence doesn’t feel like healing. It feels impossible.
Not All Pain Is in the Mind—But It Shows Up There
Chronic stress and depression do more than just cloud your mood—they reshape your biology.
Recent research has shown that depression increases inflammation in the brain, which is now linked not only to mood but to long-term cognitive decline and chronic disease (source).
Another 2024 study found that anxiety and depression may even spread between romantic partners, not just emotionally but biologically—through changes in the microbiome (source).
It’s not all in your head. But it is in your nervous system. And until that system feels safe, no amount of willpower or affirmation will bring you peace.
A Soft Return
Microdosing doesn’t erase your past or silence your thoughts—it makes space for something else.
A breath.
A pause.
A flicker of ease where there used to be tension.
Not a breakthrough. Not a revelation. Just a little more access to yourself.
You might laugh more easily. You might pause before reacting. You might notice your body again—how it’s been asking for you, gently, all along.
It’s not the mushroom that heals. It’s you, responding to an invitation.
Ready to come back to yourself?
Join the NLYTN Microdosing Communityhttps://mindmatr.com/nlytn-microdosing-subscription-community/ to access daily tracking tools, integration resources, a private forum, and expert support to help you reconnect with your body—and your life.
As a member, you’ll also receive FREE access to microdosing sacrament through our partnership with the NLYTN Spiritual Center—supporting your journey with intention, safety, and sacred care.
You’re not too far gone. You’re not broken. You’re just overdue for a reunion—with yourself.